Monday, October 31, 2016

NaNo Eve

It is Halloween, which means it is also NaNo Eve, ie the day before National Novel Writing Month, the beloved NaNoWriMo begins. I have been doing this long enough that the kickoff party is always a little strange, since as with many craft endeavors, it trends towards the recently initiated. This isn't to say NaNo has nothing to offer grizzled vets. The camaraderie of the writing gig can be found many ways. Finding your best pace (which may or may not align with the NaNo pace), your best writing time of day, your optimal writing environment are all helpful. I tell people that I know lots of folks who like the wake up an extra hour early and write first trick. It isn't just for self-described morning people, but still, just thinking of it make me sleepy. But, if you tried lunch time writing, evening writing, night time writing, and nothing is working, you may secretly be a morning writer.

I find writing a few words (like 100) when I get up in the morning, gets my brain into the story enough that when I sit down to write in the evening I'm ready to go.

People will tell you that real writers write every day. That real writers write to deadlines not randomly assigned months of the year. People will tell you that real writers do a lot of things. And here's the thing. I can point to a real writer that does every single one of those things. I can also point to real writers that take weeks or moths off from writing every year. That set their own deadlines, and get them assigned. That write in mornings, afternoons, evenings, nights, or only on full moons. Listening to other people's writing tips and processes is useful and interesting, because real writers find people and processes interesting. But any process that doesn't work for you, doesn't work for you. Or maybe doesn't work for you just now. And that's all fine.

Find your process. Find the way that gets you the best words. Happy writing!